Water ski and swim belt



Aug. 30, 1960 C. R. PATTISON WATER SKI AND SWIM BELT Filed March 18, 1957 C har/e g 1?. 221713011 INVEN TOR.

BY w)? @7 fliiorney.

United States Patent G WATER SKI AND SWllVI BELT Charley R. Pattison, Vernon, Tex., ass'rguor to lflains Athletic Manufacturing Company, Vernon, 'Cahf., a partnership Filed Mar. 18, 1957, Ser. No. 646,804

2 Claims. (Cl. 9-340) This invention relates to a water ski and swim belt, and it concerns more particularly a buoyant life belt for use in water sports such as skiing, swimming, fishing and boating.

An object of the invention is to provide a small, compact life belt for the purpose described which is characterized by a high degree of buoyancy in proportion to its mass, and which, because of its comparatively small volume as well as its improved features of construction, may be worn in comfort and without inconvenience to the wearer.

Another object of the invention is to provide a life belt having an elongated, flexible, resilient, buoyant body which is of laminated construction and which comprises two continuous elongated strips of molded, expanded cellular resilient material having the characteristics of foam rubber, which are bonded together in side by side relation to each other, and in which an elongated flexible strip, which advantageously may be made of canvas, duck or the like, is arranged longitudinally between the strips of molded, expanded cellular resilient material, and is received in a pair of mutually aligned longitudinal grooves which are formed in the opposed surfaces of the strips, the ends of the strap extending outwardly beyond the ends of the strips and one end of the strap having suitable fastening means attached thereto for engagement by the opposite end thereof whereby the ends of the strap may be fastened together.

Another object of the invention is to provide a life belt of the type described in which one of the strips of molded, expanded cellular resilient material is substantially thicker than the other, so that when the belt is secured about the body of the wearer, with the thicker strip facing inwardly, the greater part of the mass of the body, which comprises the thicker strip, is encompassed by the strap.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a life belt in which the exterior surfaces of the body are protected against absorption of Water, so that the buoyancy of the body remains unimpaired, and are also protected against abrasion.

Another object of the invention is to provide a life belt of the type described in which the strap is sewed to one side of the thiner strip of molded, expanded cellular resilient material, and in which the opposite side of the thinner strip is bonded to the thicker strip, so that when the belt is secured about the body of the wearer, with the thicker strip facing inwardly, both the thicker strip and the thinner strip which comprise the body are encompassed by the strap.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a life belt which is of simple, rugged construction and which may be manufactured inexpensively.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a buoyant seat cushion embodying the features of con struction above described.

The invention will be readily understood by referring to the following description and the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a water ski and swim belt embodying the inventio'n;

Fig. 2. is a sectional view of the belt shown in Fig. 1, taken on the line 22 of Figure 3;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic elevational view illustrating the manner in which the belt is applied to the body of the wearer;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a buoyant seat cushion embodying the invention in mo'dified form;

Fig. 6 is a top view, partly broken away, of the cushion shown in Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken on the line 7-7 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a side view of the belt shown in Figs. 1 to 4;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary side view showing a portion of a water ski and swim belt embodying the invention in mo'dified form; and

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary view of the belt shown in Fig. 9, partly as seen from one edge thereof and partly in section on the lines 10-10 of Fig. 9.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 4, and Fig. 8, of the drawing, the numeral 1 designates generally an elongated flexible,

resilient, buoyant body, which is of laminated construction as hereinafter described. The body 1 comprises two continuous elongated strips, numbered 2 and 3 respectively, of molded, expanded cellular resilient material having the characteristics of foam rubber, which are bonded together in side by side relation to each other. The strip 2 is substantially thicker than the strip 3.

An elongated flexible strap 4, which advantageously may be made of webbing, duck or the like, is arranged longitudinally between the strips 2 and 3, and is received in a pair of mutually aligned longitudinal grooves '5 which are formed in the opposed surfaces of the strips 2 and 3. The ends of the strap 4 extend outwardly beyond the ends of the strips 2 and 3, and one end of the strap 4 has suitable fastening means, such as the rings 6, attached thereto for engagement by the opposite end thereof whereby the ends of the strap 4 may be fastened together.

The exterior surfaces of the body 1 preferably are coated with a water-resistant material, such as a special plastic or coating paint, so that the body 1 is protected against absorption of water and its buoyancy remains unimpaired. Optionally the body 1 may be encased in a wear and water resistant covering 7, which may be made of canvas, duck, or the like, and may be reenforced at its ends, as at 8.

In applying the belt to the body of the wearer, as show in Figure 4, the body 1 is flexed in an arcuate position, as shown in Figures 1 to 3, and secured about the body of the wearer with the thicker strip 2 facing inwardly. The arrangement is such that in its applied position the greater part of the mass of the body 1, which comprises the thicker strip 2 is encompassed by the strap 4, the ends of which are fastened together as above described.

Referring to Figs. 4 to 7 of the drawing, a buoyant seat cushion is shown which has a substantially rectangular flexible, resilient, buoyant body 9, which corresponds to the body 1 above referred to and is similarly constructed. The body 9 comprises two substantially rectangular pieces, numbered 10 and 1 1, respectively, of molded, expanded cellular resilient material having the characteristics of foam rubber, which are bonded together in side by side relation to each other.

A pair of elongated flexible straps 12, which correspond to the strap 4 above referred to, and which advantageously may be made of webbing, duck or the like, each have their ends connected to the body 9 in spaced relation to each other, as hereinafter described, and have substantially U-shaped middle portions which extend outwardly from opposite sides of the body 9. The ends of the respective straps 12 are arranged in parallel relation to each other alongopposite sides er .the body 5', between the pieces and '11, and are received in two pairs of mutually align ed grooves' l3 iwhich a're' formed in the opposed surfaces of'thepieces 10 and 11, with the'adja cent ends of the two strips overlapping.-

The exterior surfaces of the body 9, like the body 1, preferably are coated with 'avvater resistant material, such as a plastic. type of paint, so that thebody 9. is protected against absorption of Water and its buoyancy remains unimpaired. The body 9, like the body 1, also a may be encased in a wearandwatr-resistant covering 14,

which corresponds to the covering 7 above referred'to, and which may be made of canvas, duck orthe like.

As shown in Figs. 9 and 10, the strap 4 is sewed to one side of the thinner strip 3 of molded, expandedcellular resilient material, and in which the opposite side of the thinner strip 3 is bonded to the thicker strip 2,. so that when theb elt is secured about the body :ofthe wearer, with the thicker strip 2 facing inwardly, both'the thicker strip 2 and the thinner strip 3 which comprise the body; 1 are encompassed by the strap 4.

The invention may be modified in' various ways without departing from the spirit and scope thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. A life belt comprisinga continuous elongated fiexiv ble, resilient buoyant body, adapted to substantially encircle the body of the wearer, consisting of two strips of molded expanded cellular resilient materialhaving the characteristics of foam rubber bonded together in side by side relation to each other, and a single flexible strap arranged longitudinally between the strips and received in grooves therefor in the opposed surfaces of the respective strips, the ends of the strap extending outwardly beyond the ends of the strips and having means for fastening them together whereby the belt may be secured about the body of the wearer;

2. The structure of claim 1 one of the strips being substantially thicker than the other so that when the belt is secured about the body of the wearer, with the thicker strip facing inwardly, the greater part of the mass of the body, which is formed by the thicker strip, is encompassed by the strap.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,759,711 Price May 20, 1930 1,931,406 Denton- 3 .Oct. 17, 1933 2,405,484 Bailhe Aug. 6, 1946 2,751,611 Mann -1 June 26, 1956 2,802,222 Chapman Aug. '13, 1957 FOREIGNTPATENTS 787,154 France Sept. 1s, 1935 

